About the Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge
The Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge 2024-2025 (FFIC) is a transformative regional competition designed to help combat hidden hunger and tackle malnutrition in all its forms, while improving public health in Africa. In search of innovative solutions for large-scale industrial food fortification (LSFF) and biofortification, we invite entrepreneurs, researchers, innovators, and organizations to join us in this mission to address micronutrient deficiencies affecting nearly 500 million people on the African continent. FAO: Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition.
Organized by the LSFF, Biofortification, and Nutrition Connect teams at GAIN, and supported by partners, The Waterloo Foundation, Funguo Program by United Nations Development Programme-Tanzania, DSM-Firmenich, NMB Foundation, Alliance of Biodiversity & CIAT, and University of Abomey Calavi-Benin; this competition is part of our larger effort to improve the nutritional quality of foods throughout the food value chain in East and West Africa.
Bring your expertise and creativity to propose scalable and sustainable solutions that ensure access to essential vitamins and minerals for the most vulnerable through fortification, to promote healthier diets and stronger food systems in Africa.
COMBATING MALNUTRITION IN AFRICA
The first-ever global study published in The Lancet on micronutrient status now reveals the extent of inadequate intake among Africans for the 15 essential micronutrients needed for human health. Sub-Saharan Africa, including East and West Africa, has one of the highest rates of vitamin A deficiency worldwide. This deficiency contributes to night blindness and increased mortality rates, particularly among children and pregnant women. For example, in certain regions, vitamin A deficiency affects up to 20-25% of pregnant women. (Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in Africa)
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COMPETITION CATEGORIES
CATEGORY I - Profitable and Sustainable Business Models for Fortification
Innovations that develop viable business models supporting food fortification, including machine design, supply chain optimization, and consumer awareness campaigns. Priority areas include:
- Micronutrient Addition: Adding essential micronutrients in optimal quantities and qualities, demonstrating innovation.
- Efficient Machine Design: Developing machines that improve the fortification process, making it more efficient and cost-effective.
- Supply Chain Optimization: Refining existing supply chains to improve consumer outreach, reduce costs, and increase the availability of fortified foods.
- Incentive Structures: Creating commercial incentives for millers and other producers to fortify their products, including financial, regulatory, or market-based incentives.
CATEGORY II - Solutions for Segregation / Aggregation in Biofortified Crops
Solutions that address the segregation of biofortified crops from conventional crops and the effective aggregation of these crops for market distribution.
- Traceability Standards: Implementing digital tools and standards to track and verify the source of biofortified crops, ensuring their identification and appropriate separation from non-biofortified crops.
- Digital Innovations: Leveraging technology to improve traceability, data collection, and tracking within the biofortification supply chain.
- New Agricultural Interventions: Developing new agricultural practices or technologies that support the production and distribution of biofortified crops, from farm to market.
- Market Interaction: Strengthening interaction between farmers and markets to improve the adoption and sale of biofortified products.
CATEGORY III - Innovative Vehicles for Food Fortification
Proposals that expand the range of products suitable for fortification, from edible oils and rice to tea, coffee, and bouillon cubes, and develop innovative methods to effectively fortify these products.
- New Food Vehicles: Identifying and developing new products or food vehicles suitable for fortification, such as edible oils, rice, bouillon cubes, triple-fortified salt, tea, and coffee.
- Fortification Processes: Innovating the methods used to fortify these new food vehicles, ensuring that they are effective and sustainable.
- Product Development: Adding to the range of fortified foods and crops and utilizing new ingredients or processes that can enhance the fortification process.
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What are the benefits for the winners?
Financial support
Each winning proposal will receive a $5,000 grant to help implement and scale their innovative solutions.
Mentoring
Winners will have access to a tailored mentorship program, pairing them with leading experts in nutrition, food systems, business development and other relevant fields. This guidance will help refine their solutions and maximize their impact.
Technical assistance
In addition to mentoring, awardees will receive technical support to strengthen their innovations and make them market-ready. This could include assistance with fortification processes, scale-up models, and biofortification techniques.
Media exposure
Winning innovations will be featured across GAIN’s media platforms, including blogs, press releases and social media campaigns. This exposure will help winners gain visibility and build credibility in the marketplace.
Networking opportunities
The winners will be connected to a broad network of industry leaders, investors, policymakers and organizations working on food fortification and biofortification in Africa and globally.
Capacity building
Through workshops and advanced training sessions, winners will develop skills in areas such as supply chain optimization, marketing strategies and business management, ensuring the long-term success of their innovations.
Peer Recognition
Winning the competition not only brings credibility, but also recognition from industry peers, paving the way for future collaborations and partnerships.
Continuous commitment
Even after the competition ends, winners will receive ongoing support from GAIN and its partners to ensure the sustainability and expansion of their innovations.
Presentation on global platforms
Winning solutions may be showcased on relevant global platforms and conferences, giving winners the opportunity to present their innovations to international stakeholders and investors.
Impact on public health
Ultimately, the winners will become part of a larger movement to improve public health and address hidden hunger in Africa, contributing to a lasting legacy in food systems and nutrition security.
Eligible countries
Kenya
Uganda
Tanzania
Rwanda
Ethiopia
Mozambique
Benin
NigeriaRationale for the competition
Micronutrient deficiencies
Hidden hunger is a public health threat in low-income regions of Africa
2 billion
Number of people affected worldwide.
Effects
Health problems such as impaired cognitive development, weakened immune system and chronic diseases
The Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge aims to address these deficiencies by promoting industrial fortification and large-scale biofortification as sustainable solutions to improve the nutritional content of commonly consumed foods.
Call to Action : Join us to contribute your expertise and ideas, leveraging local knowledge and scalable technologies to ensure that even the most vulnerable populations have access to nutrient-dense foods.
Eligibility criteria
Type of candidate
Applicants must be companies or individuals based in East or West African countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Benin and Nigeria. Eligible applicants include entrepreneurs and startups, researchers and academics, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and food producers and suppliers (e.g. farmers, millers, processors).
Registered agency or citizen
Applicants must be registered as a legal entity or be citizens of eligible East or West African countries, applying through the relevant Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge national chapter.
Theme Alignment
Applicants must align with the competition’s vision of promoting healthier, more nutritious diets, fostering sustainable, equitable and resilient food systems. Solutions must focus on food fortification and biofortification.
Age
The Team Leader candidate must be 18 years of age or older as of September 1, 2024.
Proof of concept
Applicants must present an operational proof of concept with measurable growth, having been in operation for at least one year. A technical and financial history will be required for evaluation.
Novelty
Submissions should go beyond the idea or initial prototype stage and present a tested prototype with plans to scale the innovation to mainstream levels.
General conditions
All applicants must carefully read, understand and accept the terms and conditions of the competition.
Minimum threshold for applications
The registration window will not close if there are at least 1000 registered applications. Organizers may extend registration if necessary. A qualitative assessment of submissions (e.g. a sampling of all first 50 registrations) will ensure that quality standards are met.
Representation by country
The organizers will try their best to choose at least one winner from each of the eight countries where GAIN operates in Africa : Tanzania, Benin, Rwanda, Mozambique, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria.
Timeline
Selection criteria
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Quality of micronutrient addition (20%):
Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of added micronutrients to meet nutritional standards.
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Machine efficiency and design (15%):
Evaluate innovations in machinery that improve the fortification process efficiently and cost-effectively.
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Supply chain optimization (15%):
Examine supply chain improvements to reduce costs, improve logistics and ensure availability of fortified foods.
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Incentive structures (20%):
Examine the feasibility and creativity of incentive models for producers, including regulatory or market-based incentives.
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Consumer awareness and demand (15%):
Evaluate strategies to increase consumer awareness and demand for fortified foods, with emphasis on reach and scalability.
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Innovation and creativity (15%):
Consider the novelty of the business model, partnerships, marketing and technology applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the goal of the Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge?
Who is sponsoring the Fortify Forward Innovation Challenge and why?
Who can participate in the competition?
What are the main areas of innovation?
What aspects of food fortification and biofortified crops will the competition cover?
How do I submit my application?
Are collaborations allowed?
What types of innovation are eligible?
Is there financial support for winning proposals?
How will proposals be evaluated?
What is the competition schedule?
How to contact the organizers for clarification?
How will intellectual property be managed?
Are there any specific crops or nutrients that the competition focuses on?
Can I submit more than one proposal?
What type of mentoring support will be provided to the winners?
Will there be a pre-submission briefing?
Are there any regional requirements for participation?
What happens after the competition?
What happens if my proposal is not selected?
Terms & Conditions
Please read the full terms and conditions here
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Donor Acknowledgement
This initiative is also part of the Nourishing Food Pathways programme which is jointly funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands; the European Union; the government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada; Irish Aid through the Development Cooperation and Africa Division (DCAD); and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). The findings, ideas, and conclusions contained presented here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of any of GAIN’s funding partners.